


Hours, Minutes, Seconds

by storyteller0311



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, post 4x09
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-11
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-06 03:05:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5400689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyteller0311/pseuds/storyteller0311
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver waits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hours, Minutes, Seconds

**Author's Note:**

> People have been requesting angst. This is my version.

_**12:17 a.m.** _

It’s been 23 minutes.

23 minutes since he walked through the Emergency Room doors, since Felicity’s limp hand fell from his as they wheeled her, bloody, down the hallway.

It’s been 19 minutes since the nurse pushed him out of the trauma room, leaving him standing in the hall outside. It was the very same hospital, the very same spot he stood when Thea was dying in the very same room all those months ago.

17 minutes since her heart stopped, the flat line on the monitor causing his to stop too. Or at least that’s how it felt.

16 minutes and 30 seconds since her heart started beating again. He wasn’t sure his had restarted.

It’s been 12 minutes since they wheeled her out of the trauma room, her body full of wires and a tube down her throat.

11 minutes and 59 seconds since the same nurse that had pushed him out of the trauma room handed him Felicity’s engagement ring to hold.

11 minutes and 58 seconds since he started to pray to any and every deity that would listen.

* * *

 

 

_**3:08 a.m.** _

It’s been exactly 3 hours since he’s seen her. Since they wheeled her into surgery.

2 hours and 45 minutes since Diggle and Thea had practically carried a sobbing Donna through the ER doors, only to find him sitting on the floor in the corner of the waiting room staring at the ring.

2 hours and 40 minutes since he numbly rode the elevator to the 6th floor to sit in the private OR waiting room.

2 hours and 35 minutes since Donna had sat next to him on the uncomfortable waiting room sofa, taking his hand and not letting go.

1 hour and 32 minutes since the OR nurse opened the waiting room door to give them an update.

1 hour, 31 minutes and 50 seconds since he waited in excruciating pain for what she’d say.

1 hour, 31 minutes and 40 seconds since he knew she was still alive. That she’d lost a lot of blood and her spleen. But that she was still alive. Still fighting.

It’s been 13 minutes since the surgeon appeared, telling them it was over.

12 minutes and 55 seconds since his brain caught up to realize that he meant she was still alive. That it was over and she was alive.

11 minutes since he realized he was crying.

8 minutes since he stopped.

* * *

 

 

_**7:14 a.m.** _

It’s been 3 hours and 52 minutes since they brought her to ICU from the recovery room.

3 hours and 39 minutes since he was allowed to sit next to her and hold her hand.

3 hours and 11 minutes since Donna fell asleep in the armchair in the corner.

2 hours and 47 minutes since Felicity’s nurse had suggested he go home.

2 hours and 46 minutes since he left the love of his life’s side for 15 seconds to tell the same nurse how sorry he was that he’d yelled at her.

2 hours and 12 minutes since the surgeon came in to check on her, assuring Oliver that she would wake up. That she was in critical condition but stable. That there was no reason to doubt that she would recover.

It’s been 1 hour and 3 minutes since the doctors removed the tube from her throat, confident she could breathe on her own.

59 minutes since everyone but Donna had left the room and he dared to lean down and kiss her lips, whispering promises of love and forever against her skin.

21 minutes since he realized he’d been gripping her ring for so many hours that he’d cut his hand, his own blood now mingling with hers on his pants.

* * *

 

 

_**9:32 a.m.** _

It’s been 1 hour and 11 minutes since he closed his eyes for just 30 seconds.

1 hour and 9 minutes since his head landed on the bed beside her hip, his hand still tangled tightly in hers.

1 hour and 3 minutes since Donna covered him with a blanket, making sure his palm had stopped bleeding.

14 minutes since he’d started dreaming about her.

That he was walking down a dark road behind her, always in his sight but never in his reach.

2 minutes since she turned in his dream and said his name.

1 minute since he realized he was no longer asleep.

45 seconds since he realized she really was saying his name.

41 seconds since he realized she was awake. That she was truly alive.

38 seconds since she had squeezed his hand, stroking her fingers over his skin.

29 seconds since he had seen her smile, even if it was slight and pained.

16 seconds since he buried his head against her neck, telling her how much he loved her.

5 seconds since he whispered that he would marry her right that second if he could.

Zero seconds since he promised he’d never let her go.


End file.
